The Making of a Farmer

As a kid growing up in the small town of Midway, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I would become a farmer. Sure, I always loved being outside, whether it involved catching bugs or salamanders in the creek, horseback riding in the mountains with my family, or shooting hoops in my driveway. That was all fun stuff. But the work aspect was pure drudgery to a kid - hauling hay, pulling weeds, picking up rocks, mowing the lawn.

When it was time to get a job during high school, I sought out an opportunity to work as a greens keeper at the local Homestead golf course. Other than the 6am start time, I really enjoyed the work. This job led to a different position working on the landscape crew at the Homestead Resort, which I continued to do for four summers during high school and college. The work in landscaping helped cement my love for growing things, especially flowers. I was also suddenly tasked with maintaining the flower beds at my parent's house and assisting my mom in her vegetable garden. Both of which were tasks that I now found enjoyment in doing.

Some might say my studies in college were a bit misguided, as I didn't choose a major field of study that I found very interesting. I stumbled into accounting, lured by the promise of gainful employment, job security, and a lucrative salary. Right out of undergrad, I began work as a cost analyst for the Air Force, while pursuing a masters degree in accounting. During the summer before my last semester, a friend convinced me to join him on a month-long study abroad trip to Costa Rica. Although I greatly enjoyed the experience, little did I know how profoundly this experience would shape my future. 

I completed graduate school in a year and a half, all the while working for the Air Force for two years. At the time I was being recruited by public accounting firms, I was contemplating joining the Peace Corps. Ultimately, I decided I wasn't cut out for life in an office cubicle. The time in Costa Rica introduced me to a slower pace of life, inspired by natural beauty and fresh food. After much soul searching, I decided to take the leap, and I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco for two years. During this time, I visited the weekly market to buy fresh vegetables and I learned to cook. 

Upon finishing my Peace Corps service, I got an AmeriCorps job working as a crew leader doing trail maintenance work on the Pacific Crest Trail. The program was very focused on buying locally raised and organic food whenever possible. During this time I learned the importance of eating locally and sustainably raised food when it was in season. After my time with AmeriCorps ended, I moved to Seattle, where I immediately began volunteering with two nonprofit organizations - both focused on organic food production, one for traditional farmers and the other was geared toward urban farming. My volunteering eventually led to a job selling produce for Nash's Organic Produce, a large farm, at weekend farmers markets. I learned how to create enticing vegetable displays and market the beautiful produce. The one thing I was missing was knowing how the vegetables were actually grown. 

Part of the time in Seattle I lived in a large house with several roommates. We were all food focused, and we created garden beds and even had four chickens in our backyard for eggs. My main job for three plus years was at The Mountaineers, an outdoor education nonprofit. I first worked in accounting and later in grants and fundraising. It was a great organization and I enjoyed my job for the most part, but I missed being outside doing physical work where the results felt more tangible. 

My good friend and former roommate, Annie Woods, had returned to her native state of Kentucky to start her own farm, after she worked as an apprentice and farm worker on a farm in Washington State. Annie was a large part of my inspiration to leave the office world, as she had quit her job at the University of Washington to pursue her longtime dream of becoming a farmer. After much consideration, I ultimately decided it was time to quit my office job, and I agreed to move to Kentucky to help Annie get her farm started. I arrived at Dark Wood Farm in mid-May of 2014, with my car filled to the brim and my cat Smudge riding shotgun. Little did I know that this decision would open so many doors or leave me with a sense of fulfillment far above the level I felt at most of my previous jobs.

That first season I learned a lot - starting seeds in the greenhouse, transplanting, sowing seeds directly into the ground, weeding, hoeing, harvesting, cleaning the vegetables, packaging, and working with chefs/restaurants. I was blown away at the amount of food we were able to grow off of one acre of land. The days were long and the work challenging, but I found myself hooked on the joy of watching all the labor we put in bear fruit. There is nothing more fun than putting together a beautiful display of fresh veggies at the market and then interacting with customers purchasing the produce. 

I had only committed to that first season in Kentucky, but as the end of the growing season neared, I found myself wanting to experience more that farming had to offer me. The life of a farmer suited me. Annie and I lived and worked well together, we also mostly would hang out in the same social circles. We settled into a comfortable routine of what might be called "homesteading". We cooked most of our meals together at home, challenging each other to use as many farm produced ingredients as possible. In the winter, we tapped a handful of maple trees to collect sap to be boiled down into maple syrup. Our freezer was kept stocked with venison steaks provided by neighbors and friends who hunted deer locally. We purchased or traded for eggs raised by neighbor children. And we preserved as much food as we could from the garden - canning tomatoes, making jams and pickles, drying peppers and herbs. It felt like a good, honest way to live, and I just couldn't imagine leaving it to return to the hustle and bustle of Seattle. 

During my second season, I decided to grow flowers as a side project so that I would fully learn all aspects of running a small farm business from planning and seed ordering to planting, harvesting, and marketing. I only planted a few small beds of flowers, but I was able to grow enough flowers to sell bouquets at markets. I was captivated by the beauty flowers brought to the farm, not to mention the number of pollinators they attracted, and I enjoyed the challenge of learning the skills necessary to grow flowers and create attractive bouquets. Over the course of the next two seasons, flowers became a mainstay on the farm, as I planted more bed space and increased sales. 

I stayed for a total of four seasons at Dark Wood Farm in Kentucky. I continued to learn and be challenged every year, and I think I worked harder each season, probably as I became increasingly more invested in the farm and its outcome. Each season was more successful than the one preceding it. Leaving was such a difficult decision, and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Annie Woods for teaching me how to farm and allowing me to be a part in the growth of her successful business. I know she will continue to succeed as a farmer and business owner. 

In March of 2018, I moved back to Midway after living away for nearly 17 years. My parents have been so generous as to let me rip up a portion of their horse pasture to create my own little farm. They have also been incredibly helpful in assisting me with projects around the farm, and allowing me to use their truck to haul new farm purchases (including a walk-behind tractor we bought in Kentucky.) In no way would I be able to start this farm without their support or land, and for that I am so grateful. My parents are a large reason why I decided to move back to Midway, in the first place. I missed being closer to family, and I'm also looking forward to riding the horses more and spending time in the mountains. I enjoyed my time in Kentucky, but I definitely missed the west!

I am beyond excited as I begin my farm business - Rustling Aspen Farm. Growing food for my local community and the residents of Wasatch County has me excited. I feel ready to take on the challenges that I know lay ahead, and I know I will be tested to put all of my past skills and experiences to work in order to create a successful farm.